System and method for cooling using system exhaust

ABSTRACT

A method for operating a system comprising a number of fluid streams and a number of components include a device is provided. The method comprises separating a cooling fluid from an exhaust stream discharged from a device and transferring heat to the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both. A system comprising a number of fluid streams, a number of components including a device comprising an exhaust for discharging an exhaust stream, a separator for separating a cooling fluid from the exhaust stream, and a heat exchanger is provided. The heat exchanger transfers heat to the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to cooling systems with systemexhaust.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In various applications, there may be by-product or waste streamsproduced which do not have use for the primary objective of theapplications. For example, in some applications emission of greenhousegases, such as carbon dioxide, may be a rising concern. As such, varioustechniques for reduction and/or sequestration of greenhouse gases havebeen proposed. For example, use of captured carbon dioxide for foodapplications (e.g., liquid carbon dioxide or “dry ice”), naturalresource extraction, and other uses have been proposed in conceptualdesigns.

Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods for use of by-productand/or waste streams.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This disclosure provides a method for operating a system comprising anumber of fluid streams and a number of components including a device.The method comprises separating a cooling fluid from an exhaust streamdischarged from a device and transferring heat to the cooling fluid fromat least one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the numberof components, or both.

This disclosure also provides a system comprising a number of fluidstreams, a number of components including a device, a number ofcomponents including a device comprising an exhaust for discharging anexhaust stream, a separator for separating a cooling fluid from theexhaust stream, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger transfers heatto the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams,at least one of the number of components, or both.

This disclosure also provides a system comprising a number of fluidstreams, a number of components including a device, a number ofcomponents including a device comprising an exhaust for discharging anexhaust stream, a separator for separating a cooling fluid from theexhaust stream, and at least one fluid stream inlet. The at least onefluid stream inlet is for adding the cooling fluid to at least one ofthe number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components,or both.

Other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will beapparent from the following detailed description, drawings, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic of a gas turbine system 10 made inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic of another gas turbine system 40 made inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic of yet another gas turbine system 50 madein accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

As summarized above this disclosure encompasses a method and systemscomprising a number of fluid steams and a number of components.Embodiments of the method and embodiments of the systems are describedbelow and illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. Though FIGS. 1-3 are illustrated anddescribed with reference to embodiments for a gas turbine system, itshould be understood that any system (e.g., other turbines systems, theGE H System turbine systems, turbo machine systems, electric machinesystems) having a number of fluid streams and a number of components,which has a system exhaust, and may be cooled with a cooling fluid maylikewise be employed or be made by alternate embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present disclosure which is agas turbine system 10 comprising a device 12. The gas turbine system 10also includes a number of fluid streams 14 and a number of othercomponents 16 besides the device 12. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, thedevice 12 is a gas turbine and includes a fluid stream 14 and severalcomponents 16. In other embodiments, the device 12 may be, but is notlimited to, other turbines, turbo machines, electric machines, or thelike. In FIG. 1, the gas turbine 12 has an exhaust which discharges anexhaust stream 18.

In alternate embodiments, other fluid streams 14 may comprise, but arenot limited to, inlet air streams, fuel streams, or the like. In someembodiments, the components 16 may comprise, but is not limited to,turbine buckets, rotors, stators, turbine air foils, turbine nozzles,heat exchangers, air compressors, burners, combustors, output shafts, orthe like.

The exhaust stream 18 is directed to a separator 20 for separating acooling fluid 22 from the exhaust stream. In certain embodiments, theseparator 20 may be, but is not limited to, a cooling fluidadsorber/desorber, a condenser, a cooler, or the like. In the embodimentof FIG. 1, the cooling fluid 22 is carbon dioxide. It should beunderstood, however, that in other embodiments, the cooling fluid 22 maycomprise other gases or liquids, such as liquid water or water vapor,air, or hydrogen.

The carbon dioxide 22 temperature, pressure, and/or phase of is thenchanged or adjusted in the cooling fluid modifying apparatus 30. In theembodiment of FIG. 1, the cooling fluid modifying apparatus 30 is acompressor. However, it should be understood that any cooling fluidmodifying apparatus 30 may be used in other embodiments to change thetemperature, pressure, and/or phase of the cooling fluid 22. In thisparticular embodiment, the carbon dioxide 22 is compressed from anexhaust pressure to a higher second pressure. In one embodiment, thesecond pressure may be 2000 psia. It should be understood by a person ofordinary skill in the art that in other embodiments, the carbon dioxide22 may be compressed from a first pressure to any appropriate pressurefor use as a cooling fluid in a particular system.

In alternate embodiments, the cooling fluid 22 may have its temperatureand/or pressure lowered. In particular embodiments, the phase of thecooling fluid 22 may be changed from a gas to a liquid or a solid. Inother embodiments, the cooling fluid 22 may have its temperature,pressure, and/or phase modified to facilitate optimal cooling of a fluidstream 14 or a component 16. It should be understood, however, that aperson of ordinary skill in the art would be able to select theappropriate temperature, pressure, and phase of the cooling fluid 22 tocool a fluid stream 14 or a component 16 (e.g., a temperature lower thanthe fluid stream or component such that heat transfers to the coolingfluid 22). For example, in some embodiments, the carbon dioxide 22 maybe used to transfer heat from incoming air feed to a gas turbine 12inlet apparatus to increase the air's density and associated mass flow,thereby increasing the gas turbine 12 output.

In FIG. 1, the carbon dioxide 22 is fed from the compressor 30 into aheat exchanger 24 which is in thermal communication with a component 16of the gas turbine 12. Specifically, the heat exchanger 24 allows thecarbon dioxide 22 to pass through the component 16 such that heat fromthe component transfers to the carbon dioxide, thereby lowering thetemperature of the component. In alternate embodiments, the heatexchanger 24 may comprise any type of heat exchanger, such as a parallelflow heat exchanger, a counter-flow heat exchanger, a phase change heatexchanger, a shell and tube heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger,regenerative heat exchanger, an adiabatic wheel heat exchanger, a fluidheat exchanger, a dynamic scraped surface heat exchanger, or the like.In alternate embodiments, the cooling fluid 22 could be used in place oftypically used coolants, such as air and the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, a portion of the carbon dioxide 22 may be stored instorage container 28. It should be understood that in alternateembodiments, the cooling fluid 22 may be stored in any container knownin the art suitable for storage of the cooling fluid. In alternateembodiments, the storage container 28 may not be present and the coolingfluid 22 may be used or consumed in by other processes or applications.In certain embodiments, the gas turbine system 10 may be adapted tosequester a portion of the carbon dioxide 22 or any other cooling fluidfrom the outside environment 26. Thus, such embodiments could use thecarbon dioxide 22 in a closed circuit cooling path such thatsubstantially all of the carbon could be sequestered from the outsideenvironment 26.

The gas turbine system 10 additionally includes other components 16,such as a heat exchanger 32 for cooling or heating a fuel stream orsteam generation, for example, using the carbon dioxide 22. Afterpassing through the heat exchanger 32, the carbon dioxide 22 is againcompressed in the compressor 30 to be stored in the storage container28.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a gas turbine system 40 inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Like elementsin FIGS. 1 and 2 are numbered with like numerals. The gas turbine system40 includes a fluid stream inlet 34 for adding the carbon dioxide 22 tothe fluid stream 14 to cool the fluid stream. It should be understoodthat in alternate embodiments the cooling fluid 22 could be to any fluidstream 14 in the system 10 to cool that fluid stream as long as thecooling fluid was suitable for mixing with that fluid stream inoperation of the system.

FIG. 3 illustrates yet another embodiment of a gas turbine system 50 inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Like elements inFIGS. 1 and 3 are numbered with like numerals. The gas turbine system 50includes additional components 16 which are an additional compressors 36and 38. The compressor 36 can be used to further compress the coolingfluid 22 for storage in the storage container 28. The compressor 38 canbe used to re-compress the cooling fluid 22 to compensate for anypressure difference between the cooling fluid which has not had heattransferred to it from the component 16 and the cooling fluid returningform the heat exchanger 24 in thermal communication with the component16 and the heat exchanger 32.

The present disclosure also provides for a method for operating a systemcomprising a number of fluid streams and a number of componentsincluding a device. The method comprising separating a cooling fluidfrom an exhaust stream discharged from the device and transferring heatto the cooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams,at least one of the number of components, or both. According to certainembodiments, the system, fluid streams, components, devices, coolingfluid, and exhaust stream may be similar to the systems, fluid streams,components, devices, cooling fluids, and exhaust streams describedabove.

According to some embodiments, the method may further comprisesequestering at least a portion of the cooling fluid from an environmentoutside the system. According to other embodiments, the method mayfurther comprise storing the cooling fluid.

According to certain embodiments, the method may further comprise,before the step of transferring heat, changing the temperature, thepressure, the phase or combinations thereof of the cooling fluid. Inparticular embodiments, the step of changing comprises lowering thetemperature, the pressure, or both of the cooling fluid. In still otherembodiments, the step of transferring heat comprises adding the coolingfluid to least one of the number of fluid streams. In some embodiments,the step of transferring heat comprises passing the cooling fluid into aheat exchanger in thermal communication with at least one of the numberof fluid streams, at least one of the number of components, or both.

In particular embodiments, where the device comprises a gas turbine andthe cooling fluid comprises carbon dioxide, the method further compriseslowering the temperature of the carbon dioxide from a first temperatureto a second temperature. It should be understood by a person of ordinaryskill in the art that in other embodiments, the cooling fluid may haveits temperature lowered to any temperature for use as a cooling fluid ina particular system.

Without being bound by theory, it is believed that embodiments of themethods and systems of the present disclosure cool fluid streams andcomponents of the systems, such as gas turbine systems, so as tooptimize its operation. In certain embodiments, such as gas turbinesystems, carbon dioxide can be used as a cooling fluid before it isstored or otherwise disposed of, thereby leveraging the carbon dioxide'sproperties before it is stored, maximizing the system's resources, andenhancing the device operation to offset efficiency penalties incurredby carbon dioxide sequestration.

It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to the preferredembodiments of the present application and that numerous changes andmodifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the generally spirit and scope of the inventionas defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.

1. A method for operating a system comprising a number of fluid streamsand a number of components including a device, the method comprising:separating a cooling fluid from an exhaust stream discharged from thedevice; and transferring heat to the cooling fluid from at least one ofthe number of fluid streams, at least one of the number of components,or both.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises aturbine.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cooling fluid comprisescarbon dioxide or water.
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprisingsequestering at least a portion of the cooling fluid from an environmentoutside the system.
 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storingthe cooling fluid.
 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, beforethe step of transferring heat, changing the temperature, the pressure,the phase or combinations thereof of the cooling fluid.
 7. The method ofclaim 6, wherein the step of changing comprises lowering thetemperature, the pressure, or both of the cooling fluid.
 8. The methodof claim 1, wherein the step of transferring heat comprises adding thecooling fluid to least one of the number of fluid streams.
 9. The methodof claim 1, wherein the step of transferring heat comprises passing thecooling fluid into a heat exchanger in thermal communication with atleast one of the number of fluid streams, at least one of the number ofcomponents, or both.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the devicecomprises a gas turbine, and wherein the cooling fluid comprises carbondioxide, the method further comprises changing the temperature of thecarbon dioxide from a first temperature to a second temperature.
 11. Asystem comprising: a number of fluid streams; a number of componentsincluding a device, the device comprising an exhaust for discharging anexhaust stream; a separator for separating a cooling fluid from theexhaust stream; and a heat exchanger for transferring heat to thecooling fluid from at least one of the number of fluid streams, at leastone of the number of components, or both.
 12. The system of claim 11,wherein the device comprises a turbine.
 13. The system of claim 11,wherein the cooling fluid comprises carbon dioxide or water.
 14. Thesystem of claim 11, wherein the system is adapted to sequester at leasta portion of the cooling fluid from an environment outside the system.15. The system of claim 11, further comprising a storage container forstoring the cooling fluid.
 16. The system of claim 11, furthercomprising a cooling fluid modifying apparatus for changing thetemperature, the pressure, the phase or combinations thereof of thecooling fluid
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the cooling fluidmodifying apparatus lowers the temperature, lowering the pressure,changing the phase, or combinations thereof of the cooling fluid. 18.The system of claim 16, wherein the device comprises a gas turbine, andwherein the cooling fluid comprises carbon dioxide, the method furthercomprises changing the temperature of the carbon dioxide from a firsttemperature to a second temperature.
 19. The system of claim 16, whereinthe device comprises a gas turbine, and wherein the cooling fluidmodifying apparatus changes the phase of the cooling fluid from a gas toa liquid.
 20. A system comprising: a number of fluid streams; a numberof components including a device; a number of components including adevice, the device comprising an exhaust for discharging an exhauststream; a separator for separating a cooling fluid from the exhauststream; and at least one fluid stream inlet for adding the cooling fluidto least one of the number of fluid streams.